Distraction
by HPfanfics
Summary: Draco Malfoy needs a distraction, Hermione Granger needs hope.


It was the first of September, the air was cold, snow threatening to fall any second, small children with red noses were running around, saying their goodbyes to parents, and greeting their friends.

Hermione Granger stood on the platform, taking in her surroundings, she'd been here before, _every year_, she'd boarded the train before, _every year, _but this year was different, she could feel it, and she'd always trusted her instinct.

She gripped the handle of her suitcase tighter, reassuring herself, as she had done all those years ago.

* * *

><p>Draco sat with Pansy and Blaise, staring out the window, paying no heed to what either of them were saying. He wasn't sure what exactly he was looking at, he was just looking, trying to forget everything he had seen that summer, everything he had experienced. He was almost grateful he was going back to Hogwarts, if he was lucky it would take his mind off everything, even if it was just for a while, he needed a distraction.<p>

"Draco?" Pansy said softly, sliding her hand delicately over his, Draco started, he regained his composure quickly, glancing at Blaise, then to Pansy, the sight of her made him want to throw, all he could think about was the plans they had made while in their third and fourth year in Hogwarts, when they were so oblivious to what was really going on, _she still is._

* * *

><p>Hermione boarded the train, smiling and waving at fellow students, wandering about, trying to find Harry and Ron. She tucked her thick, bushy brown hair behind her ear, her eyes darting in ever direction.<p>

It seemed like forever before she found them, they were sitting down across from one another, Harry reading the paper, and Ron looking at his packed lunch in disgust.

Hermione coughed, making herself known to the occupants, Harry looked up at once, as if awoken from a nightmare, his facial expression relaxed however when he saw Hermione, Ron at this point had looked up too. There before him was the girl he had thought about all summer, she had grown quiet a bit, but her hair seemed just as bushy as before, and her smile was still the same, but her eyes were different, they looked tired, dull, _scared_, not like the warm, brown eyes he was used to.

Hermione sat down beside Ron, she took one look at Harry and shook her head, "Have you gotten any sleep over the summer?" She sighed, noticing the big black bags under his eyes, she turned to Ron, "Honestly, Ron, you're not twelve anymore, there is no sense is staying up all night, its not healthy!"

Ron and Harry looked at each other, "Blimey Hermione!" Ron said, - or rather wheezed - through a fit of the giggles, "A simple 'Hello' would be nice." Hermione held back a smile, she had missed the two of them so much.

She'd only gotten a few letters, and one very strange phone call from Ron.

* * *

><p>It seemed like an eternity before the train pulled into the station, and even longer until everyone was escorted into the great hall.<p>

Draco had to restrain himself from pushing several people out of his way, he would have done it, but there were teachers about, and he wasn't about to get sent to the Dumbledore's office on the first day. He did, after all, have a reputation to maintain.

* * *

><p>Everything was Ron's favourite, chicken, turkey, mashed potatoes, yorkshire pudding and steak, Hermione couldn't help but laugh, you'd think he was never fed before in his life.<p>

She scanned the great hall, _constant vigilance, _she noticed Luna at once, staring into space, not a care in the world, _what I wouldn't give to be like that _Hermione thought, almost smiling, thinking of herself in a bright pink, puffy dress, with radish earrings.

She also noticed Cho, occasionally glancing at the Hufflepuff table, or Harry, Hermione felt a pang of guilt, _poor Cho._

And then she saw _him, _Draco Malfoy, she'd found herself hoping he wouldn't show up, that some by some miracle, his father really would send him to a different school, but she should have known, _all the Malfoy's do is talk._

* * *

><p>Draco sat on his bed, thinking over the days events, nothing really stood out to him, <em>Saint Potter <em>was there of course, with his two _sidekicks. _

He also remembered the train ride in, he had been horrible to Pansy, he was wrong, he shouldn't have treated her like that, but guilt had never stopped him before, she deserved it, _they all deserve it. _

He felt he understood, more than anyone, maybe even more than _Potter_, about the war, about the future of the wizarding and muggle world, he felt he had lost his innocence, if he had even had any to begin with, and yet everyone around him carried on as if it was _just _another year.

It wasn't fair, _nothing_ was fair, he knew that, he had been told from an early age that life wasn't fair, that he would have to do things, things he may or may not regret to get to the top, he was after all, a _Malfoy. _

* * *

><p>Hermione welcomed her bed that night, it had been a tiresome day, but, it had also been the first time in months that she'd genuinely smiled, that she'd felt some sort of reassurance, or, dare she say it - or rather think it -, <em>hope. <em>

She lay in bed, tossing and turning until she found a comfortable position, she then, without hesitation, let herself drift into a peaceful, and dreamless sleep.

* * *

><p>Draco splashed some cold water on his face, he needed to sleep, he knew that, and yet he could not. He was beginning to think that he was suffering from insomnia. But he knew the real reason he wasn't getting any sleep was because of the horrible, gut-wrenching dreams he had been suffering from all summer, but, to be honest, insomnia sounded like a much better excuse, it made him seem more <em>sane.<em>

The dreams mostly consisted of people being tortured to the brink of death, while he stood there, watching, waiting, unable to move or help, powerless. It would be different people each dream, sometimes fellow students from Hogwarts, or people he had seen enjoying themselves in the Three Broomsticks, or the Hogs Head, all _innocent_ people.

He splashed some more cold water upon his face, washing away the days events as if they had never happened.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed it, I'll be writing the next one in like ten minutes, after I make myself another cup of tea. I really do appreciate reviews, and constructive comments, and nice ones too. English isn't my frist language so hopefully this will be okay. I really do appreciate reviews *wink wink* <strong>

**P.S the next one will have some 'Dramione' :DD**


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